Usually around this time of year, I look back on the past season and reflect on myself, my team, my clients, and everything in between. I truly believe that the key to success is to admit failures and mistakes, and learn from them wholeheartedly so to not make the same mistakes twice.
Since weddings are a once-in-a-lifetime event, usually mishaps are fleeting - here one moment and gone the next - and those mishaps can only be recovered in other ways or just gone forever. Most of the time, they are unexpected. Other times, they can be helped (and our job is to ensure that the preventable situations are… well, prevented!).
So instead of listing out all the ways that I think one can improve their event, I instead surveyed some of my favourite brides of 2014 and let them take the floor….. So here goes!
1. Always provide a list of shots for the photographer… at least the important ones!
One bride said: “(I would have made) sure the photographer actually took photos of me and my brother and my husband with his sister. That’s the only disappointing thing! You just don’t realize it that day because too much is going on.”
2. Make use of your photo permit.
One bride said: “Our photographer was great, but you definitely have to be specific with them if you have a vision in mind. Spending a lot money on the park fee and only being able to use one small spot in the park was disappointing. I was really upset that there were so many areas to Edwards Garden that we didn’t even see.”
3. Make sure you (the bride) get all the time you need for hair/makeup.
One bride said: “The hair and makeup was beautiful. Our makeup artist and her team did an amazing job but we were disappointed because the time schedule was made so that as the bride I’m not being rushed to get my hair and makeup done. We hired an extra makeup artist so that there would be enough time for everyone to have hair and makeup done. Had It gone the way it was planned I would have had two hours vs a little over an hour. My MOH definitely had 2 hours each!”
4. Get plenty of rest and sleep leading up to the wedding. Health is wealth!
One bride said: “I wish I had the foresight to know that I was going to be exhausted after a week of hosting in-laws at our house… thereby not getting sick before and during the wedding!”
5. Delegate, delegate, delegate.
One bride said: “The only thing I would have had different is hiring you sooner! I would have fully utilized you and your abilities and should have given you carte blanche with the wedding (i.e. give you a budget for the event and let you run with it). But of course… hindsight is 20/20!”
So if you won’t take it from me…. take it from them!
Wishing you the best planning experience ever in 2015! See you on the flip side!
Kimberly & the whole Envision Weddings team